Illawarra Zone 16 delivered a huge improvement on day two to complete a two-game hit-out against Zone 15 in their final trial before next month’s NSW Inter-Zone Championships. Zone 16 were well-beaten 88-68 and by three rinks to one on the first day at Ettalong BC, but fought back on day two with two big rink wins and a drawn rink in a 78-58 win, for a 148-148 shot draw overall. Zone 16 trialled four rinks against Zone 15 before naming a 13-man squad for the NSW Inter-Zone Championships on September 8-10 at Wagga Wagga. Trevor Suckley (Dapto Citizens), Brett Pieper (Albion Park), Shane Leonard (Warilla) and Wayne Toomey (Towradgi) played against the Central Coast-based Zone 15 but missed out on the final squad to represent Zone 16 at the annual state Inter-Zone. ‘’All four can consider themselves unlucky; it was a tough on anyone to miss out on the final team,’’ Zone 16 Chairman of Selectors Terry Seton said. ‘’I’m rapt with the squad we have and it was good to see a huge improvement between the first match and the second. They (Zone 15) came out firing in game one and established a 15-shot lead and we couldn’t peg it back. ‘’But we were determined to turn it around and straight away we got on top in game two and never looked back. Being our last hit-out I was really pleased with the response and it’s going to bode well for us at the Inter-Zone.’’ Seton said Wiseman Park recruit Shane Pascoe and new Dapto Citizens greenkeeper Michael Stead, plus Warilla’s Jackaroos Aaron Teys and Jesse Noronha were among Zone’s 16s best against Central Coast. Teys and partners Trevor Suckley, Jamie Mitchell and Harley McDonald backed up a 21-19 win over James Cook’s rink on day one to beat Darren Morrison and partners 22-12 in game two. Michael Stead’s rink lost by a shot to Lee Trethowan 20-19 on day one, and then beat Pat Reynolds 25-12 on day two. John Hills and partners were beaten 25-14 by Pat Reynolds and lost 19-16 to Rod Rewko, while Jesse Noronha’s rink lost 24-14 to Darren Morrison on day one, then drew 15-15 with Zac Robinson. The Illawarra team for State Inter-Zone is Jamie Turner (Warilla), Jamie Mitchell (Warilla), Harley McDonald (Warilla), Aaron Teys (skip, Warilla). Peter McCauley (Dapto Citizens), Brendon Aquilina (Warilla), Matt Miles (Warilla), Jesse Noronha (skip, Warilla). Chris Green (Dapto Citizens), Shane Pascoe (Wiseman Park), John Hills (Figgy Bowlo), Michael Stead (Dapto Citizens). Reserve: Pete Bonsor (Towradgi). Zone 16 selectors made one late change for the trial against Zone 15 due to the withdrawal of Dylan Skinner, who is moving to Queensland. Skinner won the South Pacific singles last January. Meanwhile, the 2018 club singles champions from across Zone 16 will compete in the Zone 16 Champion of Club Singles at Towradgi BC this weekend. Among the top round two match-ups is Bellambi singles champion Dion Brown taking on Woonona’s Steve Haines, and Towradgi winner Rod Busst to face Corrimal’s Paul Sweeny. In other round two games, Harry Johnston (Figgy Bowlo) takes on John Sutherland (Fairy Meadow); Shane Garvey (Wiseman Park) meets Rick McClelland (Dapto Huntley), and Aaron Spears (Albion Park) faces Bomaderry’s Luke West. The opening two rounds are on Saturday with the quarter-finals and semi-finals back at Towradgi on Sunday. The Zone 16 Champion of Club Champion Pairs is scheduled to start on Sunday August 26 with Towradgi BC also the headquarters.

Illawarra Zone 16 bowls fight back in state inter-zone trial

Illawarra Zone 16 delivered a huge improvement on day two to complete a two-game hit-out against Zone 15 in their final trial before next month’s NSW Inter-Zone Championships.

Zone 16 were well-beaten 88-68 and by three rinks to one on the first day at Ettalong BC, but fought back on day two with two big rink wins and a drawn rink in a 78-58 win, for a 148-148 shot draw overall.

Zone 16 trialled four rinks against Zone 15 before naming a 13-man squad for the NSW Inter-Zone Championships on September 8-10 at Wagga Wagga.

Trevor Suckley (Dapto Citizens), Brett Pieper (Albion Park), Shane Leonard (Warilla) and Wayne Toomey (Towradgi) played against the Central Coast-based Zone 15 but missed out on the final squad to represent Zone 16 at the annual state Inter-Zone.

‘’All four can consider themselves unlucky; it was a tough on anyone to miss out on the final team,’’ Zone 16 Chairman of Selectors Terry Seton said.

‘’I’m rapt with the squad we have and it was good to see a huge improvement between the first match and the second. They (Zone 15) came out firing in game one and established a 15-shot lead and we couldn’t peg it back.

‘’But we were determined to turn it around and straight away we got on top in game two and never looked back. Being our last hit-out I was really pleased with the response and it’s going to bode well for us at the Inter-Zone.’’